Is This Reality? Or Not?
by Phoenix Lumen
Summary: It's a brain tumour, or she's comatose, or something like that. Maybe it's just a dream, feverish or normal. She could even be dead, and this is just her heaven. Because a place like this, well, it can't be real, can it?
1. Arrival

神々の悪戯

Her university courses aren't as challenging as she thought they'd be, and she thinks it's showing to everyone around her. It's not just the students, who notice the near none-stop praise of the professors, but some of the higher ups who are starting to sniff around her talent. Not the worst thing in the world, but after the first time one of her pieces gets destroyed due to another student's jealousy, she'd like to think them a bit smarter and a lot more discrete….

And the few friends she thought she'd made in first year? Yeah, they ridden on her coattails to try and make themselves more known, only to fail when their own lack of talent had begun to show.

So yeah, she's basically friendless in a foreign university, (why hadn't she picked her local one again? Oh yeah, the lack of art department options!), and it's pouring down with rain, and she's running the risk of getting her new piece of work drenched.

Half-running back to her rented house, (she'd started second year with three others in the four bedroomed house; now she has two nearly full rooms of stored artwork and supplies with a third just waiting to be filled), she sacrifices her left side to tilt her body towards the wall, protecting the art as a car rumbles by and through a large puddle where a drain has become mostly blocked. Figuring she's mostly drenched anyway, she runs the tip of her shoe near where she thinks the drain is supposed to be, and dislodges…something, and the drain swiftly empties. She doesn't see the puddle become void, since she's already heading back to her house again.

'_Darcy Keres Cosmatos'_

It echoes in the sudden stillness and silence; the rain seems to freeze in mid-air for a second or two, a car takes it time to speed by at thirty miles an hour, and she swears she can see that dropping glass through a nearby window in bullet-time.

Great. Now she's hearing things. Stupid rainy weather. Maybe she's coming down with somethi-

'_Darcy Keres Cosmatos'_

Yup, coming down with a cold, maybe a fever after getting caught out in this weather. She should pop the kettle on for a brew, as soon as she gets this painting on an easel and her coat on the hook near a radiator. Did she remember to get milk yesterday?

She gets as far as putting the painting on the easel, making sure it had survived the journey unscathed, before she hears-

'_Darcy Keres Cosmatos'_

And then she's out like a light; completely dead to the world.

神々の悪戯

She wakes up (which is a bit weird, since she didn't remember falling asleep), in heaven. It could be _a_ heaven, or _the_ Heaven, but wherever it is, it couldn't be some place that physically exists. It's got the colour intensity of that really famous James Cameron film, (no, not the one with the sinking ship), and it just doesn't seem real enough to touch, like it's something she could only dream up.

The unsoftness of the pillar she hits her hand against whilst trying to get up renders her previous thought inconsequential. It's definitely real, the pain proves it. Then again, maybe she's just imagining the pain, and this really all _is_ just a dream.

Maybe her brain is trying to think up a new scenario for her to paint?

Gods, where does someone get paint that can paint with such vivacity? Such jewel-like tones it's as though someone has crafted gems into flowers and weaved gold and silver into the very veins of the stonework. Maybe her brain is turning her into a masochist if it wants her to paint this scene, since it's an impossible venture to succeed in.

A quick look on her phone registers no phone signal, and the date is…..still the same. Time is….twenty minutes after the bell went on campus, just as she was leaving, without _any_ knowledge that it was going to start raining five minutes later. Not long enough to be kidnapped then (because there was no way a place like this existed anywhere near the university without it being spread around to every art student); but, why would someone kidnap _her_?

She begins walking, her heels echoing off the stone walls, of which there are many. There are arches galore, covered in banners, as well as…ivy? Whatever. It's also very bright. She peers through as many doors as she can, discovering that the building she's currently in must be some sort of academy…maybe? She's guessing that because of all the desks. It would kind of make sense. Since it looked so expensive, chances were it was probably a boarding school.

She walks down one corridor, around the corner, looks up, and freezes. Yup, this is either a dream or insanity. Why, you ask? Well, there's an island _floating_ in the sky. Just like in that film with the ten-foot-tall blue people. It looks like it could be a very pretty island, but still. _Floating. Fricking. Island._

"Any chance you know why we're here then?" The voice comes from behind her, maybe to her right. It's a very smooth, masculine voice. Very _nice_, as well.

"Any chance _you_ know how that island's floating in mid-air?" She turns, looking over the man. Mmm. If she dated, he would be her ideal. That vibrant red hair, almost a bloody shade, spikes shooting upwards and outwards, making it look a little like a lion's mane. His eyes are….emeralds, yes, the exact shade of emerald she's always trying for when painting gems, but can never quite get exactly right. The jacket, that is the exact same shade of white as his trousers, has been tied around his waist, leaving his long-sleeved black shirt and brown undershirt on display, a silver winged…something (it's the wrong angle for her to tell exactly) on a brown cord settling an inch or two beneath his collarbone. And that is some beautiful muscle showing from where he's pulled his sleeves up to his elbows.

"Godly powers, I'm assuming." He does his own once over of the female he can now see more clearly. Her hair isn't black like he first thought; it's been given a faint blue shine, but the black itself may even be a dye, considering the dark (but not black) shade of her eyebrows. Her eyes are an almost deep ocean blue, or maybe the colour of the blue part of the sky at dusk. Nice. For some reason, she looks a bit….wet. It's odd considering the sky is near enough clear at the moment. He watches a droplet of water slide down a near naked leg, until it gathers in the black sock showing above her red ankle boot. Being who he is, it's certainly not unusual to feel sexual attraction to complete strangers, but this mental pull in his head to approach, to get closer…..that's something new.

"'Godly?'" Well that would explain a few things…not. Probably an unknown brain tumour that's pressing against some part of her brain and making her hallucinate. It's the only way she could possibly create such perfection; it exists only in her mind. Oh well, she might as well play along. She's probably created this whole world as a means to cope whilst she's in a coma in a hospital…or something like that. It's more than likely she'll know soon enough; there're a few things that coma patients who've woken up said they couldn't do in their 'world'. Of course, it still could be a dream, normal or feverish. Maybe she's dead and this is her heaven. Maybe there really are godly powers, and she's talking to someone who knows about them.

"Well, that tells me something. But I thought someone who looks like you would have to be a goddess?" Obvious not one from his own pantheon, he knows most of the females by sight, and the rest by description. There was muscle tone, but not an excessive enough amount to count as a warrior. She had pale skin, so he'd thought her maybe from the Celtic side of the pantheons. If she'd been blonde, he'd have thought her from the Norse, maybe a new Valkyrie not long into her training.

"Someone like me? A goddess?" She laughs loudly, her head thrown back in joy, before she brings it back down and looks him over. "But someone like _you_? If you're a god, you're one of the more sensual ones. Someone with a bit of fire in his veins…..if you even have those." She steps closer, running a hand through his hair, to his obvious shock. Hey, if this is her dream/fever/coma/whatever, she'll do whatever she wants. "I'd guess one of the Erotes, maybe Eros or Himeros, but I suppose I've always thought they were blond. If you were darker skinned, I'd assume Bes. With your wild hair, I'm half tempted to call you Pan." The hand that had settled on his shoulder begins to slide its way down his chest, fingertips catching on the collar of his shirts for a moment. "I'm tempted to call you Freyr, but looking at you doesn't immediately make me think 'Norse god'."

"Would it help if I narrowed it down to Greece?" He slides a hand over a hip, curving it round to the base of her spine, _underneath_ her white coat. Well, white with coloured spots near enough everywhere. Pulling her closer, her nose bumps into his chest, and she reflexively inhales.

"You smell like….Liber….no wait, you said Greek, and Liber is Roman, so…..Dionysus?" She pulls her head back, only to look into wide emerald eyes.

"'I smell like Dionysus?' Well," his face relaxes, and a small grin starts to appear, "I would certainly hope so."

Okay, so, there's absolutely no need to get tongue-tied, even when pressed against a complete hottie, because, chances are, he's more than likely a man/god you've dreamt up in whatever state you're currently in. Ergo, he's….you? Wait, would this be narcissism then?

"Freedom at the bottom of a bottle."

"Ah, you know me so well." He cocks his head, and lets loose a smile that would cause her panties to drop if she wasn't wearing shorts. "So do I get the pleasure of knowing your name then?"

Her brain was going this route then? Building up a (near-enough) whole new world for her to interact with? Who is she to deny what she wants?

"Darcy. Darcy Cosmatos." And in a turnabout for the books, she lifts his free hand to her lips, and kisses his knuckles, like the gentlemen of old would do for the ladies. Hey, it's her fantasy world, so she can do whatever the hell she likes!

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Both she and Dionysus turn their heads to look at the newcomer. Tallish, maybe a bit too thin, although that might be the purple of his coat messing with her mind, as though she isn't having enough problems there. Then again, she's been dealing with colours and dimensions for years now, so her line of thought is probably right. The sleeves of his jacket extend past his fingertips, but as he taps them against his lip, in (possibly) false curiosity, she notices silver flashes; rings, maybe? He does have a rather mischiev-

"Bricriu?" The red-head looks a bit poleaxed at her sudden name burst. Obviously not then. There was a slight slenderness to the face, and the way the eyes were set…. "Inari?" She's probably said that wrong, (damn those languages saying syllables differently), but he must understand enough, because he blurts out-

"Loki!" He looks like he's about to begin pouting, and it looks so cute!

"That was my next guess." She knows 'Loki' is what most people think of when they think 'trickster god' these days, especially with all those movies that have been released recently, and she supposes her mind, consciously at least, associates Loki with being someone who looks like Tom Hiddleston. This Loki looks nothing like the man…..maybe her brain is telling her not to judge a book by its cover?

"Loki." Dionysus' voice has lost a good portion of its smoothness as he pulls away from her slightly, and, in a move she's never before been subjected to, slides himself somewhat casually in front of her, as though to guard her from Loki's attentions. It's probably a bit too late, judging from the look in the trickster's eyes.

"Dionysus." The taunting tone his voice had originally possessed is nearly completely gone now. "Did you bring-"

"Dee-Dee!" The tense situation is diffused somewhat by the appearance of a blond-haired teenage male, who looks to be dressed properly in whatever uniform goes for this place, unlike how Dionysus had tied his jacket around his waist and Loki has his long purple cardigan. But….

"Dee-Dee?" She faintly snorts under her breath, but it's clearly heard by the man in question, who faintly cringes and tries to make certain she can't see the blush forming on his face; what a pity the tops of his ears have turned red.

"Apollo, you idiot…." It's faintly mumbled under his breath, but audible to herself. Across the way, Loki is becoming tense as he sees what he thinks of as the 'Greek Invasion'. The newcomer is certainly bright enough to be Apollo, she supposes. All light and smiles and sparkly clouds around his fa-

Yeah, this definitely isn't reality.

神々の悪戯

Author's Note: Man, in comparison to my normal updates, I have been on _fire_ this month! Of course, most of them have been of anime that aren't as well-known as others, but, sometimes that's how the dice roll. You can't control where you get your inspiration from!

This should be the first chapter in at least fifteen chapters, hopefully with updates happening no more than a month apart!

As always, ConCrit and Flames are requested, to show me where things need to change or be improved upon.


	2. Explanation

神々の悪戯

Loki, finding himself outnumbered by the Greeks, had decided to bow out 'gracefully', (more like with a puff of acrid pink smoke), leaving Darcy, Dionysus and Apollo standing in a small cluster, Apollo clearly having noticed how Dionysus was 'protecting' her from Loki, judging from the small grin he was giving the redhead.

"Uwah! Making a new friend, Dee-Dee?" The scoff at hearing that nickname is starting to become reflex. So, it seems, is the faint blush on the wine-god's face.

"Shut. Up. Apollo." Then he sighs deeply. "Obviously, it isn't just me and Darcy that have been brought here then, if you and Loki are also here." He ignores Apollo's _"Did you __**want**__ it to be just the two of you?"_ with a straighter face than she'd probably have been capable of.

"Soooo…." It attracts both of their attention. "Just the Nordic and Attic pantheons, or…."

"Very good question…"

"I just met what looked like a mortal." Seriously, did everyone like just speaking out of nowhere? The latest newcomer seems a bit gloomy, with almost shoulder length dark hair and…pointed ears? Yep, those're pointed ears. Hang on, is this the heaven from Lord of the Rings? Lord, does she need a drink! Preferably alcoholic. Can she even get drunk? Is there even any alcohol _here_?

"Ah, Uncle! Do you know what's going on?" An uncle of Apollo, and possibly of Dionysus, (who knows with these Greek family trees?), who is slightly depressed lookin-

"Is this your Uncle Hades then?"

"How is it you get his name right away, but not mine?" The end comes out with a bit of a flirtatious whine, if such a thing exists.

"It's relatively simple when you have a few details to start with. I knew nothing about you, but when you combine your name, Apollo's, the title of 'Uncle', and, please forgive me, a somewhat foreboding gentleman appearing from the shadows, there are only a few names that spring to mind."

"Dee-Dee, who's your new friend? She's so smart!" Cue scoff and blush.

神々の悪戯

"Maybe we should split up and look to see if there's anyone else here?" It's Apollo who seems to be the only one that's vaguely happy at the moment, although Hades seems to be in a perpetually melancholy state. Hades walks off, leaving Apollo to chase after him, the pair swiftly disappearing around the corner of a nearby building.

"Apparently we've split up into pairs then."

Dionysus looks at her with a glimmer of lust in his emerald green eyes, and grabs her by her hand, weaving their fingers together.

"Then that makes us partners." He squeezes her fingers.

"Partners." Because arguing with you is more than likely just me arguing with myself, even if it's a very, _very_ attractive part of myself.

神々の悪戯

Meanwhile, elsewhere…

"I just ran into the Greeks." The red head whisper into the blond's ear. "This place seems to have been set up by someone."

神々の悪戯

Dionysus and Darcy don't get very far in their walking, or rather, they seem to just be going in circles; she's certain she's seen that pillar and that _exact_ formation of ivy three times already. Just when they're about to pass it a fourth, she is surprised, when she is spun around slightly, and pressed back against a pillar.

He reaches to just by her shoulder, and as she turns her head to see what he's doing, she sees the ivy grow and extend away from the pillar towards his hand, before he directs it towards her shoulder. Entranced, she watches as it grows at a phenomenal rate, coiling its way about the sleeve of her coat, before the end of the vine reaches the tip of her middle finger.

It takes less than a second, but the vine suddenly blurs into a snake, and her heart rate feels like it triples, even as she moves her arm away from her body. Breathing heavily, she shoots a quick glare at Dionysus, who is not perturbed by her look in the slightest. (Why would her brain have him summon up a snake? To remind her that looks could be deceiving?)

Another vine grows over the opposite shoulder, and she's somewhat apprehensive about this one also turning into a serpent, but instead, watches bunches of dark purple grapes rapidly grow. Plucking one out of the closest bunch with her free hand, (the other still occupied with the head of the snake, who seems to be liking the warmth of her palm and is content to not move an inch), she slides it into her mouth, and it bursts onto her tongue. It makes her tongue tingle with the tantalising flavours, and she reaches out for a second, popping it into her mouth before, whilst still eating her second, she teases a third from the bunch and slides it into Dionysus' mouth, letting her fingertip drag against his lower lip.

Looking at her, he thinks if her hair were a bit wilder, if she looked like she'd been running through a forest, she'd be the spitting image of one of his favoured maenads of old, what with her bearing his signatures of ivy and a snake, eating grapes and feeding them to him.

They don't know how much time passes as they slide grapes into each other's mouths, the amount of available grapes never seeming to decrease.

It's not until a cough comes from …_somewhere_, that the atmosphere around the two seems to fade, and they come back to their senses.

"Nephew." Hades is currently ten feet away from the pair, but he's the closest by a long shot.

"Uncle." He pulls away from where he's got her pressed up against a pillar, and notices that they're inside now, in a relatively large room near a red carpeted staircase. Looking around, he discovers they've manages to catch the attention of everyone, from Loki (and presumably some of the other Norse gods up on the balcony; he thinks he recognises Balder, but there are so many Norse gods with his shade of golden hair), to what feels like a pair of the Japanese gods near the bottom of the staircase. If this is everyone, the only one missing is-

"Well," Darcy begins, as she follows his gaze about the room, focusing on the two she knows, before looking at the others inquisitively, "_this_ certainly spoils things a bit." A few of them blush at the tone in her voice.

Her attention is caught by something flying past one of the upper windows. Her eyes open wide, something that catches Dionysus' eyes.

"Is something wrong?"

"I…I could _swear_….I just saw….." She rubs her eyes, thinking as to what she _thinks_ she just saw. "I could _swear_ I just saw Apollo on a Pegasus." The disbelief in her voice is clearly evident.

"I saw him on it earlier." The long haired blond from the Norse contingent calls down from the balcony, before being pulled back by Loki.

"Apollo….." It's groaned out by Dionysus, who is thinking as to what an attention whore his half-brother is.

Less than a minute later, they hear footsteps echoing down the hall leading to the room. The odd echo makes it sound like more than one person though.

神々の悪戯

"It appears everyone has arrived." Zeus, with his staff, suddenly appears on the red carpeted stairs as the pair walks in. "Welcome to my garden, to my academy….my beloved students."

"Cut the crap! You're behind all this?" The blue-haired, green-jacketed, (and she presumes god), immediately yells out.

"Japanese god of the sea, Susanoo. Japanese god of the moon, Tsukuyomi. Norse god of light, Balder. God of fire, Loki. God of thunder, Thor. Greek god of the underworld, Hades. God of fertility, Dionysus. And god of the sun, Apollo." Well, at least now she has names and pantheons to match their current physical appearances. She thinks 'current' because, she's presuming as gods, they could change their appearance to look like…whatever they wanted to look like. "You will all learn about humans in order to revive the ancient link between the gods and humanity." It was Zeus who'd, according to mythology, changed himself to look like a swan, correct?

Loki turns his head around, back to the stairs as he leans on the balcony. "Do you really think we'll just do as you say?" He lifts his hand, fingers curled.

The one she thinks Zeus called Susanoo is the next to speak. "Return my brother and me to our world. Or else…" A blue spiral of energy forms around him; water, if he is the god of the sea.

Loki continues the thought with "…There will be hell to pay." Fire forms at the ends of his fingers, before he pulls his hand back slightly, and they form into a perfect sphere of red and orange flames. That's…..actually rather impressive. (Who knew her brain could imagine things like this?)

Loki leaps over the balcony from behind Zeus, whilst Susanoo jumps up from the bottom of the stairs, both intent on attacking the King of the Greek gods. Zeus taps his staff on the stair, and lightning bolts shoot down from the ceiling, disrupting the path of the two attacking gods and tossing them aside. (Belay her previous thought; _this_ is _way _more impressive!)

Loki adroitly lands on his feet, but Susanoo slams onto his arse. (Is this indicative of the way she feels sometimes; she can land on her feet (luckily) or on her arse (unluckily)?)

Zeus, who looks nothing like the old-man versions she's used to seeing on tv and in movies, speaks again, in the gravel-like voice. "If you use your divine powers indiscriminately, this academy will be destroyed. Therefore…" He lifts the staff, a golden globe of energy forming at the end before rays of light extend out, separating from the staff and swerving about the large room to touch each god.

The light strands form something on each god, but she's not close enough to any except Dionysus to see the result; the red head has….a drop earring?

Still seated on the floor, Loki is straining at something around his neck; a necklace maybe? "What is this? I can't get it off!"

The girl calls out in a weak, inquisitive tone, "Apollo-san…" Maybe this is supposed to be the 'Perfect Version' of herself? Cute, pretty, small, meek…..no, she thinks in horror, this isn't the 'Perfect Version'; it's the 'Child Version' of herself, the 'Inner Weakling'.

This isn't a dream. It's a _nightmare_.

The god in question turns to her. "He's right. It won't come off."

Zeus, (inner father figure?), addresses them again, (her need/desire to be in charge?) "These shackles seal your divine powers. No one can defy me here. Those shackles are the proof!"

"That's enough!" Loki cries out; could he be her inner prankster? He attempts to form another fireball, but can only get the faintest of flames to form at his fingertips before they die out. (An indication that her inner prankster has 'died'?) "What's happening?" He stares at his hand in shock/horror. Susanoo's attempt at summoning his water splashes out quickly.

"Same with me." (So not just her 'inner prankster' but her…what would water represent?)

Her inner father seems to like talking, because he just keeps doing it. "You will study here. When you earn the right to graduate, your shackles will remove themselves." Yui looks down at the necklace around her neck; had her 'Inner Weakling' version been shackled also, just like the gods? "Come!" His lifts his staff up, pointing to the ceiling, and pulses of circular light ring out from the tip. A hole opens from the ceiling, showing…(a galaxy, maybe?) before an glass orb with ornate golden decorations floats down. Around it, eight golden (pill shaped) objects float around it. (One for each god?)

The 'King of the (Greek) gods keeps on talking. "Once you understand the human heart, this container will be filled. You have one year. In other words, if you cannot fill it within a year, you will all be trapped in this garden….forever."

Cue the complaints; "This isn't funny!" comes from the water god.

The one with the lightning bolt shorn into his turquoise hair says "Are you serious?" She doesn't quite know what to call his tone of voice; it's not a bellow, or a roar, or a calm statement. It's….something…..

From where he's holding the pillar up, Hades calls out, "Zeus, that's tyrannical!" Yes, it is tyrannical, but from what she remembers learning, (which was enough to melt her brains on some days), Zeus was a tyrannical god, and when things weren't going his way, he _made_ them go his way.

"I shall not entertain protests." (Her inner male adult _really_ doesn't like people talking back.) It has already been decided. Thoth…" ((It sounds like To-To when Zeus says it, but that just makes her think of a little dog) walks in from the opposite side of the staircase to the Greeks and herself. He has relatively short silvery/gold hair, with one long section pulled forward over his shoulder, gems holding it together. He has a tauk around his neck, with a snake-like shape over his collarbone. A purple/blue version of the school jacket is draped over his shoulders, and he stands with his arms crossed as he looks at them. The eyeglass on his right eye makes her think back to all those black-and-white films she watched in English class, where either the really smart detective or the slightly-less-smart villain had a monocle. Judging by his jewellery, he seems to really like gold, blue and green.) "…This man will be your instructor."

"I am the Egyptian god of knowledge, Thoth." Maybe her mind just likes her repeating things, to make sure she can't forget it. Not the condition of Palilalia, but something similar maybe….palilogia? Maybe just plain repetition?

Old inner man speaking again; "Your classmates will be…" He taps the ground with his staff, (emphatic gesture to indicate something's coming?) and balls of pale yellowy/gold light form, before turning into people, dressed in the school uniform, talking away to one another or observing their surroundings. "…these many spirits."

"So many, in an instant….Amazing." Her Inner Weakling seems to like stating the obvious.

"Kusanagi Yui."

"Yes!" But why would she give her other-self such a foreign name? Did she want to be foreign herself? Maybe it was the thought of being different?

"Your responsibility is to lead the gods to graduation. Is that clear?" And apparently even her Weakling version is a bit angry at her Inner Male Adult version, because she doesn't answer, only pursing her lips.

"Tomorrow morning," the brains of the operation states, "you will gather in the auditorium to prepare for the afternoon's entrance ceremony. That is all. You are dismissed for today. Kusanagi…Come with me."

"Y-yes!" and said version of herself follows him out. She wonders to herself if she'll get updates of what that version experiences; maybe when they 'sleep' (is it possible to sleep in dreams/comas?) their lives will sync up?

"Lord Zeus!" Wait is…is that her voice crying out? The gods around the room freeze that someone is willing to speak to the one in question, especially after what he's just done. Zeus himself pauses on his way back up the stairs, and turns his head slightly to look at her, eyebrow raised. She takes the silence to mean he wants her to continue talking. "A moment of your time, please?"

His head tilts as he thinks, faster than the speed of light. He hadn't been expecting a second human to be brought here, and her presence is a bit surprising. But nothing happened without the Fates knowledge…..Yes, he _would_ speak with her. Besides, she was being rather well mannered. His free hand comes up, and he gestures with his first two fingers for her to approach.

His son immediately grabs her by the hand as she starts to move away, and he watches as she squeezes his fingers to provide some modicum of comfort before letting go and running up the stairs, leaving Dionysus' hand to fall back to his side as he shoots a glare up the stairs at him.

Is this what his pantheon has become, where his son worries that his father wants his interest? He thinks back over the past several millennia…perhaps the boy has a point. Still, his prankster sons get the ability from somewhere, and it certainly isn't their mothers.

She rests her hand on top of his raised arm, just like the ladies of old, and he'd pat it if he wasn't holding his staff. The staff is important. The staff is a power symbol. He's not expecting the words she leans in close to whisper.

"It's your son I want to sleep with, not you."

神々の悪戯

Dionysus' last sight of the pair, before they disappear in a golden glow, is his father bellowing with laughter at whatever Darcy's just said to him.

Apollo's brotherly clasp on his shoulder does nothing to relieve his growing feelings on the matter.

神々の悪戯

Author's Note: Because it seems like the first chapter garnered such an amazing reaction so rapidly, (it felt like my email was being _filled_ with reviews, fav's and follows; thanks to everyone who has done so!), I kicked my own butt into action and managed to get this for you guys and gals, _way_ sooner than the month I was thinking it would take to write chapter two. This is probably going to be my last story/chapter posted before the New Year, so I hope you all enjoy it.

As always, please send me ConCrit or Flames about what you liked and what you didn't like; I like to get feedback on what you all feel is working or what isn't.

See you in the New Year, hopefully with chapter three!


	3. Drunkenness

神々の悪戯

Zeus' study is truly a room fit only for a god. She mentions as much to him as he seats her on a couch, before pulling out a jug of wine and two chalices.

"Thank you." She takes a sip. Ooh, very nice. She must make some sort of happy noise, because-

"From my son's vineyard some years ago." He takes a sip himself. "Never a bad drink does that boy make."

"You sound extremely proud of him." She cocks her head at him, before she places the chalice on a nearby side-table. It tastes amazing, but it is rather potent. Were the myths all wrong? Or was her brain just making things up as it went along?

"I'm proud of all my children." He takes a deep gulp. "I just don't always show it, my dear." Another gulp. "Now then", he looks her straight in the eyes, "you wanted to speak with me?"

"Ah, yes." Wow, that was a rather forceful gaze. "To start, I'm going to say that at the moment, I can't believe this is reality." He puts his chalice down, but doesn't say a thing, letting her continue. "It could be a dream, or I could be in a coma, or any number of things. Nothing that happens here could lead me to conclude that this is reality, because it could just be my brain trying to _make_ me think this is all real. So…" She reaches out for her own chalice, taking a few sips to steady herself. "I'm going to let this play out as if it _was_ all real, but you need to understand that, if I do things weirdly, it's probably because in the back of my head, I've got that thought running through my head."

"Very well." He refills his chalice, and tops her own up at the same time before she can stop him. "I will ask though, that as you continue to _act_ as though this is reality, you consider the ramifications as though it _is_ reality." Wait, is this the 'or all humanity will die' speech, or the protective daddy act? "He _is _my son, after all."

Another gulp down the hatch. Is it just her, or is her tongue getting a bit numb? She looks at the chalice a bit more closely; there were some rather pretty pictures and words carved into it.

"'_En oinōi alētheia'_, hey?" She may be starting to slur her words a bit, even as her stomach grumbles.

"Indeed, little one." The room faintly flashes an orangey/gold colour as food suddenly appears on the also suddenly appeared table. "Come, eat with me. Ask your questions, of which I'm sure you have plenty."

She fills a plate with cold meats and cheeses, and only begins to speak again once she's put at least the bare minimum inside her to stop the grumbling.

"Greek, Norse, Japanese. Three different pantheons. I can understand how your own pantheon can be here, but you've essentially kidnapped the Norse and Japanese contingents. How did you get Odin and…..whoever's in charge of the Japanese gods (so sue her, she only knows a few of the Japanese ones when they came up in comparison to the ones she was _actually_ studying) agree to let them come here?"

She eats more, as Zeus watches her with an inquisitive eye, before replying.

"Nearly ten mortal years ago, it was noticed how soon the end may be coming." (As in the end of everything? As in, _everything_?) "A council was arranged between the leaders of many of the different pantheons from across a multitude of realms, not just the three present here today. After some…_considerable_ debating, it was decided that the Greek, Japanese and Norse pantheons would be represented, since they are the ones who have had the greatest impact across the mortal realm, where their influence is still present in the lives of countless beings across many continents. And, whilst the Greek, and to some extent the Norse, are no longer worshipped in temples or at alters, they are constantly kept in mortal memory due to entertainment." (Hadn't she herself only been thinking something similar to that earlier?)

"So you created this 'garden' in an attempt to….regrow a dying bond between humans and the divine?" He nods his head.

"Whilst the fascination that humans have held with 'mythology' has kept the bond _present_, the lack of belief and faith, especially on behalf of the gods, has weakened the bond to such an extent that it may snap at any time now."

"And with the snapping of that bond….?" If this is really coming from her own mind, she is one _seriously_ depressed person.

"It may result in nothing except that we may never be capable of going to the mortal realm ever again. Or, it may result in Nothing." She must look at him somewhat confusedly, because he clarifies. "_Nothing_, as in complete annihilation of all the realms, as in the entire mortal universe and _any_ godly realm associated with it."

The room is filled with silence. She reaches out for the jug with slightly unsteady hands, refills the gods chalice and then her own, successfully not dropping any.

"Right then." She lifts up her chalice, and waits for Zeus to do the same. "Here's to becoming superheroes and saving all of existence then. No worries."

神々の悪戯

The Japanese pair of gods have long since wandered off by the time a golden flash occurs three feet away from Dionysus. The Greek gods had stayed near the bottom of the staircase, seating themselves (although Hades had made sure he was at a bare minimum five feet away from his nephews), and the Norse trio had seated themselves all the way at the top. The various miscellaneous extra students had also all gone away, to parts unknown.

"Hey." She lifts up a hand to wave at everyone, but is knocked over onto the red carpet by an enthusiastic Dionysus, who runs his hands over her body…..no, not in _that_ way.

"You're alright, you're _alive_…"

"Yeah no duh." Dionysus pauses as he brings his head closer to hers, and sniffs deeply.

"Is…is that-"

"Yup, you got it Icy. Let me tell you, you make one _hell_ of a brew." The looks shared between the Greeks are broken, when she hiccups, blinks, and then groans as she lets her head fall back on the carpet.

"I assume you had questions for my brother, Lady Darcy?" Hades hasn't moved an inch from where he's seated at the end of one of the bannisters, even if he looks rather interested in the goings on.

"Ain't no ladies here, Lord Hades. Just one, _drunk_…..woah, I _really_ am drunk….." She exclaims as she tries to get up, only for her hand to slip out from under her.

"Come on Darce, let's get you to bed." Dionysus leans down, and picks her up, one arm at her back, the other at her knees.

"'Bed'? How forward of you!" She leans forward as she throws one arm around the back of his neck, and even as he blushes, whispers into his ear, "I'm not exactly against the idea."

The golden glow that surrounds all of them, including the Norse gods, who jump up at the sudden light, forestalls any reply he could give.

神々の悪戯

The Greek contingent appear in the middle of their new room, Dionysus a second behind or two behind to take care of the fact he was carrying Darcy. Their eyes widen as they take in the surroundings.

Given that they were gods, they were used to opulence and ostentatiousness. Considering that Zeus had near enough reduced them to mortals, they were expecting to have to be living in quarters more suited to those reduced in status, what with the small cramped rooms and minimal furniture.

But these rooms were larger than any of them were expecting; plenty of room to have their own areas, but close enough that they didn't have to shout to be heard from one side of the room to the other.

A bit of security in a foreign land.

Dionysus heads upstairs to the second level to check out the bedrooms, his uncle following him at a ten-foot distance, but Apollo heads straight for the frosted glass doors he can see opposite the bottom of the staircase. Open the doors, his eyes open wide, and-

"Dee-Dee, you have to come see this!" By the time he hears boots clomping on the staircase, he's already shucked off his jacket, shirt and tie, tossing them over the arm of the nearby couch, and is working on his boots.

"What is it broth-" He sees exactly what Apollo has seen, and the pair share a smile, even as Dionysus pulls the jacket from around his waist, tossing it on top of his brothers clothes, and then pulling off his shirt in one, smooth manoeuvre.

Like children, laughing gently, they nearly run over the dark orange tiles to the hot spring, completely naked, and enter with not even a second thought. Within a second, they both nearly jump out, as the heat affects these newly mortalised bodies, but something of their old selves must remain because they quickly adjust.

Relaxing, they both take in the sight, although Apollo closes his eyes much sooner than Dionysus, who understands why perfectly. The surroundings of the spring feel like home, the ivy spiralling around the pillars, the bushes and trees growing wildly from the beds along the edges. The glowing orbs along the split wall lend the area a pleasant aura, but would probably be even more effective if the main lights from inside were dampened.

Before Hades returns from his own exploration of the upstairs area, both of his nephews have seated themselves in the hot spring, reclining and letting the stress of the whole occasion seep away. It doesn't escape his attention, when he comes back downstairs, to find that they've both forgotten towels, so he pulls two from a bundle on a shelf to the side of the exit, and circles around the bath so he can put them on one of the dark shelves encircling the spring. He then heads back to the doorway, leaning against the frame, and watches his nephews enjoy this faint pleasure after the pressures of the day.

In the five minutes it takes for one of them to begin speaking, Hades thinks about this whole affair; why them, why these pantheons? Obviously there is more going on here than Zeus deems them worthy of knowing. His brother had mentioned needing to know and understand the human heart, but _why_?

He himself knows more of the human heart than perhaps any of them here; their hate and anger has etched their way onto his skin, into his very being, cursing him and anyone near him with misfortune. His thoughts are distracted by his now talking blond nephew.

"This dorm even has a hot spring. It's amazing." Dionysus pulls himself out, sitting on the marble wall that encompasses the bath, draping a freshly retrieved towel over his groin.

"Apollo," he begins, even as his thoughts begin trailing off in another direction, "are you going to attend the academy?"

"Regardless of his methods, don't you think studying as humans sounds interesting?" His brother _would_ think that.

"Sounds like too much work to me…Don't you agree, Uncle?"

"Yes." Not really one to say more than required, Hades likes to speak as briefly as he can.

"I can think of one human Dee-Dee would definitely like to study." His eyes fly open to glare at the nearly identical pair, a set that now seem to be secretly smirking at him. Their uncle scoffs.

"I think that's beyond obvious to everyone here."

"Before our powers were….bound," unconsciously, his hand goes up to tug on his new earring, "I could feel parts of her, parts that resonated with parts of myself." Hades and Apollo look at him more carefully now, most forms of levity departing the air.

"You are thinking of soulmates?" Hades asks, leaning towards them slightly, although he makes certain not to take a step. Dionysus shakes his head negatively, before stopping and nodding, only to stop again and shrug his shoulders.

"I don't really know. All I know is that she, well, she feels…._right_." Hades remembers thinking that of his sweet, _sweet_ Persephone; Apollo remembers thinking it of his near countless loves.

Apollo opens his mouth as though to say something, but shuts it upon seeing the way his brother has closed up, now thinking to himself instead of aloud to his family. Sighing, the red-head swivels around and climbs fully out of the hot water, tying the towel about his waist as he stands and heads inside, water dripping down his legs. His uncle moves further into the garden so as to keep his distance and not affect him with his misfortune.

The pair remain quiet. Eventually, Hades drifts away, aiming for the bedroom that is clearly his. Thoughts drift in and out of Apollo's head, barely noticing his uncles departure, as he thinks about those he'd thought had felt 'right' to him, and the ramifications of his past actions.

Soon though, it feels too wrong for him to still be awake, sun god that he is, albeit mostly powerless at the moment, and he climbs his way out of the heated water, the tiles cold beneath his warm feet as he heads inside, gently closing the door behind him. Outside, the lights dim and the water cools itself.

神々の悪戯

**Author's Note**: Happy New Year! A present for you all; the latest chapter **way** ahead of schedule, just for you guys. (Seriously, I have a schedule on my wall I'm at least _trying_ to follow.) I hope you like!

As always, ConCrit and Flames please, I don't mind either so long as they say what's right or wrong!


	4. Awakenings

神々の悪戯

She wakes up in a random bed, and thinks it's so much _better_ (a.k.a. softer) than the last time she woke up after not remembering falling asleep, that the pounding of the drums inside her head manages to sneak up on her without her noticing.

At least until she turns over, and the intense light through the uncurtained windows shines straight across her head. Even though her eyelids are closed, she still feels it like it's an electric shock. Her head turns quickly back to bury itself until the pillow, as she tries to forget about the percussion suite that seems to have taken up residence in her head.

The world can wait until she's ready to face it.

神々の悪戯

After…however long, (the sun's still unfortunately up), she wakes up again. It's not of her own accord. Someone is banging the heck out of her door. Barely thinking enough to make sure she's wearing clothes, she stumbles over to the door, and accidentally opens it hard enough to bang off something behind the door, which does nothing for her headache.

"What?"

神々の悪戯

Her hair is a complete mess, tendrils all coiled up making her look like she's been dragged backwards through a hedge….or three, bad enough to make her look like she's Medusa reincarnated. There's sleep-gunk at the corners of her eyes, and her face is completely bare of all makeup. Her clothes, (yesterdays, he notes), are all creased, like she's slept in them; judging from the state of them, she probably has. He hadn't exactly changed her when he'd near enough dropped her on her bed the previous night.

Completely sleep rumpled, and ready to face nobody, she's one of the prettiest people he's ever seen. And considering the amount of people he's seen over his many, _many_ years, both naked and clothed, that's saying something.

神々の悪戯

Standing there with a gormless look on his face, it's Dionysus who's interrupted her recovery-sleep. Looking at him drowsily, she leans on the door to hold herself up, even as one hand tries to rub the sleep out of her eyes, yawning loudly.

"Morning." It's not shouted, but it sure feels like it, and the fingers by her eyes travel up to the closest temple in an effort to dampen her growing headache. He chuckles, and she remembers liking the sound yesterday, but right now, it's just annoying. "Headache?"

"Gee, how did you guess?" She turns and walks back into her (could be hers, could be a spare) room, the door closing slightly before he follows her in. Sitting at the closest side of the bed, she rubs both temples with her fingers. "Urgh."

Cold fingers place themselves gently over hers, and apart from the initial slight tensing, she can't summon up the energy to do much else. Then there is a slight tingling along her fingers, her temples, and then the inside of her head, right behind her eyes.

"Mmmm…" It's almost as good as chocolate. Her fingers stop rubbing as she lets the feeling permeate her skull. Maybe almost as good as _sex_.

"It's not much, but it's the best I can do right now, with my power restrained as it is."

"Trust me," she says, opening her eyes to look at him kneeling in front of her, "your best is definitely good enough." Her headache is near enough gone right now, and the difference is amazing.

"So," he begins, and she's not sure she likes that mischievous look in his eyes, "what do you remember about yesterday exactly?"

Hmm, let's see; painting, rain, walkway, floating island, Dionysus, gods, Zeus, _wine_…..

"What have I done to embarrass myself now?" Red wine, as much as she liked it, was her weak spot and guilty pleasure. It tasted amazing, which made her drink more of it, but she never knew when to stop, and ended up drunk before she even knew it. She also tended to forget everything after her third glass.

From what she remembers about the size of the goblets Zeus was using, she'd probably be able to fit just under two of her normal glasses in one serving. And she remembers drinking two…three….four….. Whoops…..

"Nothing _too_ bad." Oh crap….

"How badly am I going to be teased? Come on, at least try to prepare me!" His fingers pull away from hers, and he stands up; somewhat awkwardly, her eyes don't stay in line with his, so she's left staring level with his groin. Luckily (maybe, maybe not), the sleeves from where he's tied the jacket around his waist dangle down in front, blocking the view of his trouser-covered crotch.

Her eyes head north, seeing the silver beads that dangle at the end of the cords for his pendent, the grey-on-black of the school's emblem covering the right side of his ribs, the tips of the braids of his glorious red hair. The leopard-print around the collar of his long-sleeved shirt makes her lip curl slightly in amusement, before her gaze continues up his neck, red hair curling from the back to the front, the silver and green-gemmed earring catching her eye before the smirk on his lips draws attention. And then those glorious eyes…that are staring at her heatedly.

Licking her lips is an automatic reaction to that look, she really can't help it.

And sex is supposed to be nature's natural painkiller, (or something like that), right?

神々の悪戯

Despite being in mostly-mortal shell, with the vast majority of his godly powers bound, Dionysus knows when someone is looking him over. Whilst love and lust may not _technically_ fall under his jurisdiction, wine, (and the subsequent lack of inhibitions that lead to partaking in lustful actions), is.

Love and lust can be linked to fertility in a few ways, (fertility being another area under his authority), but he was normally introduced as a god of 'wine and merrymaking'. (Excluding, of course, how his father had introduced him earlier, he hadn't been introduced as a 'god of fertility' for centuries.)

Sex, if done in the right ways, could be seen as 'making merry', correct?

神々の悪戯

"Well," he states, lifting a hand to cup her cheek, "you gave me the nickname of 'Icy', which I'm hoping is somewhat oxymoronic, considering my hair." He runs his other hand through his hair briefly, before letting it drop to his side. Reaching out, she places a hand on his hip, and uses it to help her up.

Standing nearly chest to chest, she lets her hand travel up his chest, across his pecs and around his shoulder to slide up his neck, letting his hair gather between her fingers.

"This hair," she tugs on it playfully, "is absolutely gorgeous. I could play with it for hours. It's the colour of the most tantalising grapes, and the colour of fire and of blood, which is the essence of life."

Stunned speechless as he is, he only has one response to that.

神々の悪戯

With his lips on hers, all she tastes is wine. She doesn't know if it's his natural flavour, if he drank some of the heady liquid before heading here, or if it's her own minds imaginings, but he tastes, (forgive the pun), divine.

All she wants is _more_.

She nips his lower lip, he pushes her slightly, and the pair are soon making out on the bed, he leaning over her, pushing her against her bed, grinding his groin against hers as their tongues entwine.

And then someone knocks on the door. _Knocks_ on the fucking _door_. Dionysus pulls back, the end of his braid coiling just over her left breast, head tilted towards the door. She leans her head in that general direction also, but hears nothing, until….

"Cosmotos-san?" It's her Inner Weakling, a.k.a. soon-to-be-_dead_ Inner Weakling.

"Somebody up there hates us," she sighs, and Dionysus gives her one last closed-mouthed kiss before crawling off the bed and over to the door. If only he hadn't got that jacket about his waist, she'd be able to see that ass that had felt rather yummy under her hands only a few minutes ago.

"D-Dionysus-san?" Seriously? This version of her seems to like just stating the obvious, over and over again.

"Ahh, Kusanagi-chan. Nice to see you again." He steps forward, and she moves aside to let his greater bulk pass. Five foot three to his five eleven; it was almost comical. Just before he passes through the doorframe, he looks back over his shoulder at her and smiles, before finally departing.

Kusanagi stares into her room, where she's still lying on her bed, dressed in yesterday's clothes, now even more rumpled.

"Well?" She stretches out on the bed, before looking around the room, since she hadn't really had the opportunity to do so yet. It's a huge room, more like a studio apartment than anything, although she can't see a kitchen area, so presumably food was being served elsewhere. There's a door in the wall about five metres away from the ottoman at the end of her bed, closer to the end by the main door than to the end closer to, what seems to be, a set of balcony doors…she had a balcony?

There's also a decent amount of furniture, and it doesn't make the room look smaller in the slightest; there's a wardrobe (got to look in there soon and see if there's a change of clothes) and unit to the left of the bed (from where she's lying on her back) alongside the same wall as the main door, and to the wall to the right of her bed and along the L-of the room (she also gets a corner-room; two walls facing outside? Urgh, the _sunlight_! (But…the artistic _potential_!) There is what looks like space for hundreds of books, finally ending in a large dark-wood desk and a very plush chair, then the balcony door with a floor to ceiling window on either side of it.

At the other side of the room, further away than the wall at the end of the bed, there seem to be couches hidden away only a few metres from the balcony doors, but she hasn't got the best angle to see them from here.

The colour scheme is a bit bland though, all whites and creams, and the walls (which contain a great amount of blank space) are void of pictures, frames and posters; Darcy hopes it's so she can put her own spin on things….. Where is she supposed to get paint or anything decorative though?

"I…..I was just walking by the post-boxes downstairs, when I saw your name on one and your room number. I wasn't sure if you knew about breakfast, so I thought I'd come up and check on you."

Inner Weakling….no, wait, she was acting like this was _real_ now, this Kusanagi….people like this really existed? She looks her over…

"I see you're ready for school then?" She looks dressed up in what she vaguely remembers to be the female version of the school uniform that she'd seen those spirits appear in. Including black, mid-thigh socks and a really short skirt. Like, _really_ short.

Yeah, she's not going to be wearing anything like that anytime soon.

"Err…yes! I decided that to get back home, I might as well give this a try. I can't get back home by myself, so even though I'm still uncertain about a few things, I'll start by doing what I can."

Urgh, how _optimistic_.

"Are you going to come as well, Cosmotos-san?" Like _fuck_ she is. A feeling starts to grow in her stomach; is it guilt?

"Listen, right now I'm fighting off a headache the size of Olympus itself, and if I even think about leaving this room before sundown, I've a feeling I'm going to want to murder someone. So that would be a big, emphatic no!"

"But-" It's not guilt. Oh shit. She flings herself off the bed as quickly as she can, near running for the bathroom as she calls out her reply.

"Leave! Headache, murder, gonna be **sick**!" Slamming the door behind her does nothing for her headache, and she flings herself towards the toilet, vomiting up large amounts of dark wine and various partially digested meats and cheeses.

Eventually managing to flush the toilet a few minutes later, when her stomach feels she's thrown up everything she's eaten since last Tuesday, she leans backwards and sits down on the floor.

Well, at least the morning _started_ well.

神々の悪戯

**Author's Note:** Okay then people, from here on in, this is where it's going to get a bit more _dirty_, if you get what I mean. If you don't want to read, then please, click the 'x' on the tab or window.

For anyone whose still here, I apologise about the delay. I meant to have this uploaded last week, but the Office on my laptop has decided to stop working, and I can't reinstall it due to an 'error'. That meant, of course, I had to wait until the main PC in the house became available, which is a bit rare these days.

If there are any queries about Dionysus and the way he's reacting to Darcy, well, they're going to get resolved…at some point. I do want to point out, however, that, like I said, he's a god of fertility, and with fertility comes sex, and with sex _can_ come lust (it doesn't necessarily have to be love).

As always, ConCrit and/or Flames please; I don't mind either so long as they say what's right or wrong.


	5. The Ceremony

神々の悪戯

Leaving the bathroom on wobbly legs, a hand pressed to her stomach, Darcy sits on the closest thing available, the ottoman at the end of her bed. She has no idea what type of dark-wood it's made from, (she's not had much reason to work with wood), but the top is an amazingly decorated piece of fabric, full of gold and silver flowers and birds, the border an intricate Greek key.

Can someone even _be _sick in a dream/fever/coma? If yes, then fine, if no….. well, that would lead to a whole other line of thought that she really can't even _attempt_ to concentrate on right now.

She looks around the room again, she'd thought about doing something earlier, but now she can't remem- Wardrobe! Clean clothes! Ooohh, she could really go for a bath first though….

There are only a few changes of clothes in the wardrobe, as well as…..a uniform. Seriously? She'd already graduated from secondary school, college and was nearly done with university; Zeus really wanted her to attend his academy? Deciding it best to ignore it for the mean time, she pulls out the only pair of jeans and the only top, a long sleeved t-shirt. Now, where's the underwear?

神々の悪戯

Back in the bathroom, _all_ her clean clothes now resting on the top of the counter, she looks at the huge shower, at the orgy-sized bathtub, surrounded by bottles of lotions and potions and products galore.

She's _never_ leaving.

Like, _ever_.

神々の悪戯

Two hours, squeaky clean almost to a fault, she's sitting on her bed, towelling her hair dry, when she spots the little blue book about ready to fall between the wardrobe and unit. Considering it's the only book in the room, despite the space available to store books, she wonders how she could have missed it, even as she lunges for it, nearly breaking her ankle and her head in the process.

Rubbing her head with one hand, (that's gonna bruise, she just knows it), she opens the book with her other, a talent long since gained from painting with one hand and holding the book she was copying from with the other, flicking between pages for inspiration.

'Blah blah_- created so that gods and humans could once again learn to interact and exist in harmony…._blah bla_- school is physically and intellectually modelled after human academic institutions…. All necessary facilities required for the duration of your stay are provided; food is available from the cafeteria at all hours. _La da da dee_…. Once everyone graduates, all those involved shall be returned from whence and where they came through the power of Chronus.'_

Well, that's ended somewhat depressingly.

神々の悪戯

Walking down the open-aired corridor, Yui can't think of anything except how abysmally things seem to be going. Her attempts at getting the gods, (apart from Balder, Apollo and Tsukuyomi, who'd decided to attend the Academy on their own), to at least try and join the school in an endeavour to get home had failed.

Loki had pranked Susanoo, the pair running off to parts unknown, and Hades had sent her away with his declaration that 'being near him would only bring her misery'. Thor had stated that if Loki wasn't going, then neither was he.

Could they fill that orb and graduate with just the four of them? Her thoughts are interrupted by a cry of _'Fairy!'_

Turning around, she feels relief to see Apollo, Tsukuyomi, Balder, and…the other Greek god….what was his name now?

"Dee-Dee's here! Dionysus…he's a Greek god, like I am." The red-head speaks up. Well, that solves one problem.

"Apollo insisted I come…Sounds like a chore, but fine."

At least that's one more to join them. "Thank you very much!"

Stepping forth, the Norse god of light states, "There's no more time. We five will prepare for the ceremony."

"Yes!" Maybe more of them will show up at the ceremony?

神々の悪戯

They don't.

神々の悪戯

Just out of sight of those seated in the hall, Thoth speaks to Zeus, who is walking by him as he leaves the stage after Apollo's speech.

"It's started."

"Everything begins now. We must weave the future, no matter what tragedy may arise." Or those who arrive here without his advanced knowledge.

Hopefully whatever the Fates have planned will not end up in complete annihilation because of her inclusion. Because despite his phenomenal cosmic power, even he did not know how this would truly end.

神々の悪戯

It doesn't take long for Darcy to read further into the little handbook than she thinks she's meant to. '_R__eturned from whence and where they came…'_ The understanding is, of course, that no time will have passed in the human realm if (_when_) they return, maybe even the godly realms. No one will understand why she'll act like it's been months, years since she last saw them.

A realisation a few minutes later had her thinking if there was any point in her doing any of her normal hobbies. Nothing she painted, drew, crafted or created here would be accessible to her back home if (_when_) she returned; so apart from doing anything for practice to keep her skills in form, what would be the point?

And now she's just depressed. She needs to learn how to stop thinking.

(She doesn't even realise she's thinking of those as though it's _truly_ real.)

神々の悪戯

She both expects and doesn't expect the knock on her door later that afternoon. It takes a few seconds for the sound of the knocking to register in her brain, and an extra half minute to summon up the energy and desire to walk to the door.

"Hey."

Dionysus looks good in the uniform. She's not exactly aware of _why_, especially since their powers are bound, but it hits her every time she sees him, this sensation of _'wow, oh my god, he's so bloody hot, fuck me into the bed __**now!**__'_ A second or two later, her brain will click into gear, and go _'Dionysus, god of fertility, of __**course**__ you want him to screw you and try and get you pregnant, it's in his very aura!'_ (Assuming, of course, that this isn't a dream/fever/coma.)

That entire line of thought is the reason she stands aside to let him in, locks the door behind him, and reaches out to hug him from behind, her hands setting on the knot from where he's tied his jacket around his waist.

Five foot nine frame bending down almost painfully, she nuzzles her nose into the nape of his neck, breathing deeply, before sighing contently.

"You smell like the most well-aged cabernet sauvignon in all existence." He tenses almost imperceptibly, before…

"I'm almost certain most people aren't fond of being told they smell like alcohol." She scoffs.

"You're you. How is it anything but a compliment to smell like one of the most famous red wines in the world?"

"Touché." For a minute, all is silent, until…. "It's not that I'm not liking this, because trust me, I _am_, but what's brought this on?" She squeezes him, almost as tightly as she can, prior to answering.

"Just a….revelation."

"Anything in particular?"

She doesn't answer. He doesn't ask again.

神々の悪戯

Today is day three of their arrival here, if you count day one as their landing, and day two with the entrance ceremony.

Having not discussed it with Dionysus last night, it only takes a brief walk to the cafeteria to see who's going along with this 'saving everyone' plan; everyone who's with it is in class, and those who aren't, well, they're spread out across the room, having unconsciously and unknowingly congregated.

Dionysus isn't here, something she finds slightly startling; in the back of her head, she supposes because of his attitude, she'd been thinking of him as someone who didn't particularly care about anything that happened.

Hades has seated himself by a window, directly beneath an almost overly intense section of light, which, considering he's a god of the underworld, she finds a bit unusual. Loki and Thor are over in a far corner, heads bent near each other's as they whisper furiously. Susanoo is seated by himself not too far from the serving area, and….that's a rabbit.

She hadn't thought him the type to have a pet rabbit.

The rabbit turns a look on her… Maybe not a pet then. It looks away. _That_….was surprisingly _scary_.

神々の悪戯

Since she was currently wearing the clothes she'd arrived in, (they'd disappeared whilst she was bathing yesterday, only to reappear in her wardrobe this morning), Darcy was currently in the process of hunting down the school store using that little blue handbook, wondering just how she's supposed to pay for everything. She's been looking for the past half hour, constantly getting distracted by the amazing art and scenery around her, because come on, be serious, how often is she going to see Greek statues like they were _just_ carved?

In the end, it takes a wrong turn for her to actually find the store, and upon discovering there was no need for money to get anything…. Hello Versace, Dolce and Gabbana, Armani and Prada! (Also say hello to her new shoe collection!)

神々の悪戯

Delivered that evening, she spends an hour or so putting away all her pretty new clothes, and they still only take up half the wardrobe and dresser unit. An array of black, black, red, red, and black now on hangers, with the odd splash of pink and silver, she feels slightly better.

Isn't there a psychological aspect to shopping making you feel happier?

神々の悪戯

**Author's Note: **Hopefully the segments are flowing well. As always, ConCrit and/or Flames please, I don't mind either so long as they says what's going right or wrong.


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